The average audience for this year’s X Factor currently stands at 5.89 million.

Last year’s series averaged an audience of 6.34 million, which was the lowest in its history.

Ratings for individual editions of The X Factor dipped below five million just once in 2017, compared with four times so far this year.

An X Factor spokesman said: “The X Factor is currently the most-watched show on ITV on a Saturday and Sunday night, and has been the most-watched programme of the day for the key 16 to 34-year-old audience for the majority of nights it aired this series.

“It is also the biggest Saturday night show for 16-34s this autumn.

“The X Factor 2018 is averaging 6.7 million viewers across all platforms and transmissions, while our YouTube views currently stand at more than 5.5 billion.”

The current series of the ITV show has a new judging line-up of Robbie and Ayda Williams, with One Direction star Louis Tomlinson and boss Simon Cowell.

The programme launched 14 years ago and has produced a number of hit acts, including One Direction, Olly Murs, Little Mix, Leona Lewis and JLS.

The show has struggled to keep up with main TV rival Strictly Come Dancing in recent years, and ratings have fallen every year since 2010, when they averaged 14.1 million each week.

Some 17.7 million people saw Matt Cardle crowned the winner in The X Factor final in 2010, but last year the number was just 5.8 million to see Rak-Su win the title.

For The X Factor’s key 16-34 audience, the programme is averaging 1.3 million viewers and a share of 42%, compared with Strictly, which is averaging 1.1 million and a 37% share.

All figures quoted are the official ratings, which include people who recorded the programme and watched up to seven days later. They also include +1 and HD viewers.